Homemade Chewy & Crispy Pretzels
Bakery-Quality Pretzels You Can Make at Home (Perfect for Beginners!)
We’ve prepared a pretzel recipe that’s easy to try at home, as the fermentation time isn’t too long. Enjoy the wonderfully chewy texture inside and crispy exterior of freshly baked pretzels!
Pretzel Dough Ingredients- 200g Bread Flour
- 5g Sugar
- 3g Salt
- 3g Instant Dry Yeast
- 115ml Warm Water
- 20g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- Coarse Salt (Pink Salt or Sea Salt) for topping
Boiling Solution- 500ml Water
- 50g Baking Soda
- 500ml Water
- 50g Baking Soda
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, sift 200g of bread flour into a fine-mesh sieve. This step helps create a smooth dough without lumps.
Step 2
Make three wells in the sifted flour using the back of a spoon. Place the sugar in one well, the salt in another, and the yeast in the third. Coating the yeast with flour helps prevent it from becoming deactivated by direct contact with water.
Step 3
Gently mix the ingredients in each well with the surrounding flour, being careful not to let the sugar, salt, and yeast mix together directly at this stage. The goal is to lightly coat them with flour.
Step 4
Now, bring all the ingredients together and mix them generally. You’ll combine them further once the water is added.
Step 5
Pour 115ml of warm water into the center of the mixed flour. Use a spatula or your hands to mix everything until it just comes together into a shaggy dough. Don’t overmix at this point.
Step 6
Once the dough has roughly come together, add 20g of room-temperature unsalted butter. Butter adds richness and tenderness to the finished pretzel.
Step 7
Now for the kneading! This is crucial for developing the gluten structure. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. It should stretch thinly without tearing when pulled. This indicates the gluten is well-developed.
Step 8
Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place (around 75-85°F or 25-30°C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until doubled in size. This is the first fermentation.
Step 9
To check if the dough has proofed sufficiently, gently poke it with a lightly floured finger. If the indentation remains and doesn’t spring back, it’s ready! If it has over-proofed, gently press it down to release some of the gas.
Step 10
Gently punch down the risen dough to release the gas, and then divide it into 4 equal portions. This ensures your pretzels will be a similar size.
Step 11
Shape each portion of dough into a smooth ball. Rounding the dough helps create a more uniform shape and makes it easier to work with in the next steps.
Step 12
Cover the dough balls with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Let them rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This ‘bench rest’ relaxes the gluten, making the dough easier to roll out.
Step 13
After the bench rest, take each dough ball and roll it out with a rolling pin into a long, thin strip, approximately 12 inches (30 cm) long. Rolling it too thick can result in a longer baking time and a less desirable texture.
Step 14
Starting from one end, roll up the dough strip tightly. Pinch the seams together firmly to seal the roll, ensuring it doesn’t unravel during boiling or baking. Pay extra attention to sealing the very end.
Step 15
Bring 500ml of water to a rolling boil in a large pot and carefully stir in 50g of baking soda. Once the solution is boiling, gently place the shaped pretzel dough into the water. Boil for about 30 seconds per side (approximately 1 minute total). This step is key to the pretzel’s signature chewy texture and golden-brown color. Be careful not to boil them for too long, as this can cause them to puff up excessively.
Step 16
Carefully remove the boiled pretzels from the water and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Before baking, you can lightly score the top of the pretzel with a sharp knife to enhance its classic shape.
Step 17
Arrange the pretzels on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle them generously with coarse salt (like pink salt or sea salt), ensuring the grains are visible for a decorative touch. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 18 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Baking time and temperature may vary depending on your oven.
Step 18
Congratulations! Your delicious, bakery-style pretzels with a beautiful deep color and wonderfully chewy interior are ready to enjoy. They are best served warm right after baking.
